A lesson in seduction
by KakashiSukiDaYo
Summary: What happens when Kakashi shows Sakura how to seduce? Read and find out! Kakasaku
1. A lesson in seduction

**A/N:** This is a Kakasaku story. In the first chapters Sakura is quite young, but don't worry: I'm not into pedophilia! Just wait and see… ;)

On my profile you can find my usual intro about Kakasaku and the whole age gap thing.

The beta reader of this story is Clearheart: she had been super fast to edit it. Thanks a lot!

**Disclaimer:** Too bad I don't own Naruto, and you really don't know what I'd give to own Kakashi! Well, at least now I own a Kakashi plush doll…

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**A LESSON IN SEDUCTION**

**Chapter 1: ****A lesson in seduction**

* * *

Kakashi and Sakura darted off the high trees of Konoha's forest. They were heading to a village in the outskirts of Fire Country to carry out a mission for the Fifth. Kakashi being the leader, and Sakura his backup medic nin.

A rich merchant of the village had been trying for months to dethrone the local daimyo (1). The merchant had a huge patrimony, which was greatly superior to that of the daimyo himself. As time passed, the daimyo resisted the merchant's pressures, but then one night the daimyo's daughter was kidnapped. The merchant offered his help to rescue the daughter in exchange for becoming the new village's daimyo.

It was pretty obvious that it was all a plot of the merchant to achieve his purposes, but without any evidence the daimyo could not accuse the man, and the merchant was way too influential within the Fire Country thanks to his large fortunes.

The Merchant would have surely saved the daimyo's daughter by killing the captors and destroying all the evidence relating to his person. This way, the daimyo would have had to retire from his position in the merchant's favor.

The daimyo wasn't willing to do that. He really wasn't. The merchant didn't deserve any rise in power after what he'd done to his beloved daughter.

The same day his daughter was kidnapped, the daimyo made up his mind: he secretly informed the Hokage of what happened, asking for a rescue mission.

This is how Kakashi and Sakura were sent to the village.

* * *

Sakura was panting rather hard now; Kakashi knew she had been stuck in the hospital during the past months, so he was expecting her to be a little out of shape. Time to take a break. Besides, he was beginning to feel a little tired himself. It had been a long journey, and now they were at about one hour walk from said village. They could also use the time to fix their plan.

He stopped rather abruptly as he saw a nice little clearing, and Sakura almost bumped into him. Eventually, she managed to stop herself just a few inches away from his back.

She glared at said back and growled her disapproval, while tiredly running a hand across her face to sweep away the sweat. By the time she had regained her breath, Kakashi was already sitting under a tree, comfortably leaning against the trunk with orange book in hand.

She got closer and sat beside him. Kakashi shot a glance toward his companion and wait another minute to let her relax a bit, then he closed his book with a snap and put it securely away into his back pouch.

"So, Sakura-chan, mind if we look over again our plan in detail?" Those were the first words he had spoken since their departure, and Sakura was really glad to hear his voice. She was used to his silences, but during those times there usually were other teammates around, too. This was the first time it was just the two of them, and it turned out to be a rather boring trip.

"Sure, sensei," Sakura said, smiling at him.

"Well, we're almost there. Time to change our clothes. From now on, we'll walk as normal civilian and we'll try to not be noticed."

"Does this mean you'll have to give up to read that nasty book of yours?" She cut him off, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

He chuckled at her remark. 'Always so smart, Sakura-chan,' he thought.

"Yup. This also means you're going to see my face for the first time." His words effectively shut her up and made him grin, amused by the facial expressions she made as the thought slowly sunk in her.

"But not until tonight. I don't want people at the party recognize me as the man who arrived today in your company, or else they will start wondering about you, too. So, for now the mask stays on. It will be a little strange for a civilian, but we'll choose the first hotel on our way in order to be seen by less people."

Sakura's mouth was still slightly agape and her eyes were wide. She didn't hear what he was saying as her mind was still focused on the mask issue. She didn't consider it when they were assigned to the mission! Suddenly she was really happy to have been sent here with Kakashi.

"Naruto will be oh so pissed off when I'll tell him!" She giggled.

This earned another chuckle from Kakashi.

"As I was saying, as soon as we'll enter the village we'll search for an hotel, so that I have enough time to take a shower and change for the party. I guess it could take about a couple of hours to retrieve the information we need from the merchant's daughter, then I'll come back to you and we'll rescue the kidnapped girl. I hope she won't need any medic assistance, but then again… that's the reason why you're here."

"Sensei… are you sure the merchant's daughter knows the location in which the prisoner is held?"

"From the information we have, her father is very close to her and always confides with her about everything. So it is very likely that she knows what we need."

"But… how are you exactly going to gather such information? It's not like she will be willing to share such a matters with a strange man".

Kakashi smiled seductively under his mask; even if she wasn't able to see his smile, she noticed an unusual glint in his visible eye.

"Seduction, Sakura. It's called seduction." Both his voice, lower and deeper than usual, and the fact he didn't use the usual honorific attached to her name (2), gave her slight goose bumps on her arms, something that had never happened to her before.

"Oh…" was all she managed to say, surprised as she was. Her eyes hadn't been this round since she was twelve.

"What's so strange?" This time his voice held a mocked, hurt tone. "I understand you've only seen me as your teacher, but I'm a man, too."

"It's not that, sensei… it's just that… you know, does this mean you'll have to sleep with her? There really are these kind of missions? I would never be able to do such thing." Sakura was afraid, and Kakashi saw it clearly in her eyes.

He was once again amused by her reaction, she was still so innocent. She had just turned sixteen, after all, and he didn't think she had so much experience with boys. She was always confined in that hospital to work and whenever he saw her hanging out with her friends, she never was with a boyfriend. She wasn't probably still at ease with such matters.

"I guess you've never talked about this with your shishou, have you? Would you like to have a little chat about it now, Sakura-chan?"

She nodded vigorously. After all, she wanted to know what she could have to face in future.

He moved so that now he was sitting facing her.

"Well, first of all you have to know that no one will ever force you to take these kind of missions. Shinobi are often required to do life threatening missions, as you already knows, but missions which could involve sex are another thing. Especially for women, which are more sensitive to this issue. These type of missions will never be mandatory."

He saw she was intently listening and went on.

"As I was saying, no one will force you to take these kind of missions if there is even a little possibility that you'll end up to sleep with your target, and no one will think less of you as a kunoichi for not accepting it. You'll have to learn anyway how to seduce a man, because there are even missions in which you just have to entice a target, and then let your teammates _take care_ of him."

"To seduce a man…" she repeated absent mindedly, eyes glued to the ground.

"But I don't even know how to begin seducing a man, sensei!" she said, a bit too loudly, as frustration and apprehension took over her.

Kakashi put his hands on her shoulders in a reassuring manner, and locked his eyes with hers before speaking in a concerned tone.

"Sakura, you don't have to worry. You're still too young for this. I'm sure that when you will be asked for these missions, you'll already have had some experience with guys, so you'll be perfectly able. Besides, it's very easy to seduce a man if you are a pretty woman, and seeing as you are a very pretty girl, I'm sure you'll grow up into a beautiful woman". He said it in a matter-of-fact tone, with no malice at all, but it made her blush nonetheless. So he gently squeezed her shoulders and gave her his usual eye crinkle smile to say it was all right.

Then, he let go of her shoulders and moved to his previous position next to her.

"Anyway, I'm not planning on sleeping with her tonight. If you are good in seduction, you'll see that most of the times you can have your information even without having to go that far. A little of sake, not too much or the target won't be able to tell you anything, some good conversation, a light flirting, a peck here and there, and you're done."

"Good conversation?! You?!" She snickered incredulously.

"Ow, this is not very kind from you!" He said in a fake, offended tone. In fact, he knew she had all the reasons to think so, seeing as she had never seen him in _action_. Then, he had an idea.

"You know what? Come with me tonight. I'll give you a lesson in seduction."

"What?!"

"You can watch me from the outside and listen through our earphones," he explained.

"Fine, but I'm not interesting on following you if you take her to her bedroom…"

He chuckled. "Well, if she is a good looking woman I could be tempted by that. Sometimes I've done it even if I had already get my information. But seeing as I'm paired with you in this mission and you'll be waiting for me to take action, it wouldn't be very nice from my side, now would it?"

Sakura blushed thinking of all the women he could have slept with while on missions and he grinned inwardly. It really was funny to tease her every now and then.

"What if she doesn't tell you what we need to know?"

"She will, no doubt about it." He smirked smugly under his mask, and Sakura rolled her eyes.

This was going to be an interesting lesson.

* * *

**A/N****: **I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are really appreciated!

(1) daimyo were feudal lords who ruled large lands and villages. It's an hereditary title.

(2) Japanese always use honorifics. _Chan_ and _kun_ are surely less formal then _san_, but the most informal way to refer to someone is by calling him/her without any honorific. Only relatives, very close friends and sometimes lovers don't use honorifics. So that's why Sakura is surprised by being called like that from Kakashi: combined with that sensual tone of voice it's like he's trying to seduce her. It's quite intimate and she's not used to it, especially from him.

There are other cases in which Japanese do not use honorific. The fact that no one ever called Naruto as _kun_ or _chan_, could be seen as a disrespectful sign. It suits with the begin of the story, when no one loves nor respects Naruto. Let's see as Sakura used refers to Sasuke as Sasuke-kun with a sweet voice, while called Naruto just by his name always shouted in a disgusted way.

If you are interested in honorifics use, you can find more information on wikipedia.


	2. A face and a party

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A LESSON IN SEDUCTION

**Chapter 2: A face and a party**

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They chose the first hotel they found and Kakashi booked two single rooms. They parted in the hall and Kakashi went directly to his room in order to have a shower and prepare himself for the party. Sakura took a shower in her own room and put on her spare ninja outfit. After all, she was going to watch the party without being seen.

Afterwards, there was nothing left for Sakura to do but to wait on Kakashi. She was a little nervous, thinking of how his face would look. A silly thought crossed her mind and she giggled. If he turned out to have a handsome face, then she could tease her friend Ino about having a hot ex-sensei. At the same time, she pictured his face at it's worse. She didn't want to make a disappointed face if he wasn't handsome— it would have been offensive. After all, she didn't really mind if he was good looking or not, she was just curious to see him.

There was a knock on the door and Sakura snapped from her reverie.

"May I enter?"

"Sure, sensei."

For a good couple of minutes, Sakura stood still. Eyes wide, mouth agape, she wasn't able to do or say nothing except to shamelessly ogle at Kakashi's face. Kakashi was handsome. More than handsome. The man before her exceeded her every expectation!

His face wasn't perfect like Sasuke's, but the general effect was that of a very attractive and strong man. He also seemed younger than his real age, but definitely a Man. And she meant that with a capital M.

The way his dress-suit clung to his body was also absolutely stunning. She had seen other shinobi dressed like that before, but usually they all had a too muscular body which didn't go well with the elegant dress. Kakashi's body, instead, was very strong but lean at the same time, so that he was perfect in his dress. Sakura was certain she could have continued staring for a good hour without getting bored.

Kakashi, on his side, was rather used to similar reactions when women were presented to his bare face, but he didn't expect something so strong by his little ex-student. He gave her a tentative smile. Bad move.

'God', she desperately thought,' he has dimples on his cheeks when he smiles! They're so sweet. I think I could faint right here!' Luckily she didn't said it out loud, but still her expression left no doubts about what she was thinking in that very moment.

Kakashi sighed. He decided it was time to shake her out of her stupor. Literally. He stepped towards her and put his hands on her shoulders to shake her gently.

"Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan, it's me."

Sakura instantly snapped out of her reverie. "Oh… I'm… I'm sorry, sensei. It's just that… that…" she darted her eyes to the floor and found herself too embarrassed to finish her sentence.

'Great, now he'll think I'm a little brat,' she thought miserably, 'and what's worse— he's probably right!'

He gently squeezed her shoulders.

"Sakura-chan, look at me. It's all right, understand?"

She timidly lifted her gaze to him and said the first thing that crossed her mind.

"Now I understand why you're so smug," she mumbled.

"About what?" he asked.

"… about seducing girls."

He laughed at that and led her to the bed, where he sat them both down.

"Sakura-chan, you really are something. I don't remember ever laughing so much as today with you," and he patted her shoulder.

Sakura gave a small scoff— and everything was fine again. She could feel her embarrassment draining away.

"Now, I was wondering if you could help me with this thing," he said, fumbling with his bowtie. "It's not like I use this stuff. At best– I have to dress up only once a year."

Sakura grinned broadly and helped him out. As she adjusted the bowtie she noticed the microphone hidden within. The earphone was already covered by his silver bangs, freely cascading on his sharingan eye.

"Do you think I should wear an eye patch?" he asked. "I've tried to cover my scar with my hair, but I don't know if—"

"You're perfect as you are now. No need of any eye patch here." She reassured him with a smile.

'He really is perfect,' she thought to herself privately.

Kakashi let out a low laugh and stood from the bed, rubbing the back of his neck in a very Kakashi-like fashion she knew so well. "I'll reach you as soon as possible. If you need to speak to me, use the microphone. The conversation will be always open on my side. You should be able to hear everything I say."

"Okay, sensei," she said easily. "See you later."

* * *

Sakura was crouched on the roof, peeking into the large room through a bay window. All the ladies were dressed in magnificent evening dresses, and men were also very elegant. It was most certainly a VIP party or something along those lines. After a moment of searching, Sakura spotted Kakashi's silver hair, and listened as he was introduced to the merchant and his daughter as a daimyo's relative. She saw how Kakashi immediately caught the girl's attention, and led her toward the buffet table to offer her a drink. Sakura suddenly remembered his first advice: sake. It helps with the intimacy.

His manners were charming and he really was having an actual conversation, with that seductive voice he had used on her earlier that day. Sakura didn't recognize her ex-sensei in that man. She was discovering a side of Kakashi she never knew existed.

Being around him for so many years had clouded her perception of him. Instead of really knowing him, she had grown accustomed to seeing him only as a teacher and teammate. But he clearly was a man, too, as he told her. And what a man.

This night was radically changing her perceptions of Kakashi.

Kakashi used his chakra sensing abilities to spot Sakura's position, and then he lead his target close to her window, so that she could even see his body language, not just hear the words. Body language was very important during the act of seduction, even more than the conversation.

Sakura took advantage of her current position to study his facial expressions. She was curious to see his eye crinkle smile without the mask— but he didn't use it. It probably wasn't fitting for the situation, she thought.

She also saw as the girl, who Sakura thought was actually quite pretty, hang on to his every word. She was making a fool of herself, but then again, Sakura mused if she would have been able to resist such a person being in her place. She already knew Kakashi was dangerous, but until that day she had meant just on the battlefield. Now she knew he could be dangerous in other ways, too.

Sakura began then to wonder what it would like to be seduced like that. She imagined it must have been very flattering. The few boys that tried to date her were nothing like that. But then again, they were just boys, while Kakashi was a man.

After about an hour, she had had enough about the whole situation. There was no doubt in Sakura's mind that Kakashi would take the girl to bed, since he seemed too caught up to reject her in the end. She didn't know why, but she didn't want to see that happen, and after all she had already understood what Kakashi meant by seduction. It was really pretty clear, now.

So, for the first time that evening, she spoke to him through the microphone, telling him she was heading back to the hotel. He could reach her when he was ready, she told him. Kakashi obviously didn't answered, but she knew he had heard when he looked through the window and sent her a brief glance.

* * *

**A/N:** I know Sakura's reaction to Kakashi's face is a little… exaggerated! But this isn't a humor/romance story for nothing! My beta reader has laughed at that, I hope you did as well!

It's very flattering to see that many people has put this story into their favorites or into story alerts, but reviews would be also very appreciated! :D

Thanks to Clearheart for her great editing work.


	3. The promise

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A LESSON IN SEDUCTION

**Chapter 3: The promise**

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Sakura was lying on her bed, but couldn't find rest. She couldn't stop, in fact, wondering what it would have been like to be in that girl's place. She longed to be cherished like that, possibly even by Kakashi himself. Though Sakura found these thoughts towards her ex-sensei were rather awkward she could not control them. She was certain that most boys, even most men, would not have been able to act as Kakashi did tonight. After all, Tsunade sent Kakashi on the mission, and not Genma or some other good looking shinobi. Sakura wanted to feel desired, but not in a _hungry_ way, like she saw when Genma (1) hit on random women. As Sakura watched Kakashi tonight she could see that he wasn't just trying to get into the girl's pants. He acted very chivalrous and treated her like a princess. It was the treatment that Sakura craved most, not some awkward advance or some blunt offer for a night of sin.

Sakura wondered if Kakashi acted this way with the women he had real interest in.

An hour later, she was still turning restlessly on her bed, musing if it was right to think of her ex-sensei this way. Well, it wasn't like she loved him. She simply wanted to be cherished for once like that girl tonight. Just to know how it would feel… and Kakashi happened to be the ideal candidate to grant her wish. Nothing more, right? Sure.

Well, that, and the fact she knew she was developing a huge crush on him.

'Damn it!' she cursed to no one in particular.

But Sakura was certain that after just one date the crush would fade. Because it was just curiosity, nothing more.

Or so she hoped…

There was a knock on the door, and Sakura was moved from her reverie.

"Come in."

Kakashi entered the room.

"Sakura-chan— ready? I've got the location…" he paused, raising an eyebrow. "Were you… Did you really fall asleep?"

"Sort of. I thought you would have gone with her… to… you know…" Her eyes weren't on him, and Kakashi could sense something was off.

"I told you I wouldn't—"

"I know, I know. Let's just say you fooled me as much as her." She gave an embarrassed half-smile, still not looking at him.

Kakashi sighed. He knew there was something else, but there was no time to waste now. He would have to confront her later.

"I led her to the bedroom," he explained. "When she tried to kiss me, I put her to sleep with the sharingan. This way she can't go cry to her father about having been fooled into revealing the location of the daimyo's daughter. That's all. Now, let's go."

Kakashi was back to his normal attire and his mask was also back in place, but Sakura's inner turmoil did not fade. Even if his appearance was back to the one she was used to, the way she thought of him was definitely compromised.

She sighed and got up.

* * *

That very night they rescued the daimyo's daughter, successfully accomplishing the mission. She was slightly hurt, but Sakura took care of her easily. Her captors admitted they had been engaged by the merchant, allowing the daimyo to put him under arrest. All was well and the village authority was stable again.

Kakashi and Sakura went back to the hotel around midnight. She was about to close her door after bidding Kakashi goodnight, when he blocked the doorway with his hand. Sakura looked up at him surprised.

"Sakura-chan, what is it that you're not telling me?"

"I don't know what you mean, sensei."

"I know you well enough to tell something is bothering you."

She averted her gaze from him. "Nothing," she insisted. "Really."

"Sakura-chan…" there was a tone of warning in his voice. "Please, let me in. Just for a minute."

Sakura sighed and took a seat on the bed, leaving the door open for him to enter. He closed the door and took a seat next to her.

"Are you still concerned about seduction missions?"

'No. Just by you,' she thought to herself.

"A little," she admitted. Well, it wasn't entirely a lie. Even if she was thinking about something else entirely just a moment ago. The thought of seduction missions still bothered her a little.

Kakashi probed further. "What did you think about what you saw tonight?"

Sakura blushed furiously. There was no way she could tell him her true thoughts. It would be like admitting that she wanted him to act that way with her!

Kakashi immediately noticed her discomfort and scratched the back of his head. "I didn't think it would disturb you this much. After all, it's not like anything vulgar happened. But still… I'm sorry if I embarrassed you." He misunderstood the reason of her reaction. Entirely.

"It's not like that, sensei!" She replied a bit too much loudly. Sakura set her eyes on his visible one.

"Huh?" he quirked an eyebrow.

Sakura passed her hand tiredly over her face and averted her eyes once again. 'Great,' she thought. 'Now I have to give an explanation.'

"It's not that you shocked me. It's just that… I've never been treated like that before. The few boys who asked me out didn't act the way you did tonight. I was just wondering what it would be like to be cherished the way that girl was cherished."

Kakashi began to understand. "Oh, that. But it's only natural, Sakura-chan. Boys your age don't act that way."

"But it I still want to feel desired like that girl was…"

"Then you will just have to give your friends some time to mature. They'll change in a few years. At sixteen, boys can still be childish about these kind of things." And he gave her his reassuring eye-crinkle smile.

"So, are you saying that all men act the way you did tonight? So chivalrous?"

"I'm not saying all men act that way. You do know Genma-san, don't you? Well, he's older than me, but still acts like those friends of yours. Heck, even worse. But he's just trying to get laid and nothing more. If he should fall in love with someone, he would probably change his manners." He smiled again.

"So, is this the way you act when you're in love, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Uh… I really don't know, as it's never happened to me before. But, sure, why not? I like to think that I would treat her as special as possible."

Sakura sighed. "Even if my friends did mature, they wouldn't ask me out. You know, Naruto and Lee-san are actually the only ones who ask. I think it might be because I'm not pretty enough. Ino-chan always receives so much attention, while I'm always alone."

Kakashi blanched inwardly. Great. This conversation was turning into a girl-talk. He wasn't even good at _normal_ talk, much less anything that involved too many feelings and emotions. How could he be expected to reassure an adolescent girl about her insecurities?

"Sakura-chan, you _are _pretty. Even prettier than Ino-chan, in my opinion. So, that's not a problem."

Sakura blushed a little. It was the second time he had called her pretty that day. No one, aside Naruto and Lee (who weren't very reliable), had ever called her pretty. She liked hearing the words from Kakashi, and she thought it was nice she could now turn to him for such things. Sakura knew that Kakashi wouldn't lie to cheer her up, as it wasn't in his nature. He was always direct with his words… even when it made things awkward in some social situations.

"So, what's the problem, sensei?" Her pleading eyes touched Kakashi's soul.

"I think it's more about… your quick temper." He half-expected a punch to the face at that moment, but none ever came.

Instead, Sakura lowered her head a little in embarrassment.

"I see…" her voice was full of disappointment.

Kakashi recovered his words quickly. "Look, Sakura-chan, you are very smart, clever, caring, funny and companionable. You also are very skilled, both as a kunoichi and a medic. Seeing all of this, and the fact that we both agreed that you are very pretty, too, all the boys should be throwing themselves at your feet, not Ino's." He was eyeing her carefully to see her reactions to his words… especially to the ones he was about to say.

"But you can't deny the fact that when you get angry you can be very… frightening. For my part, I find it very amusing when you beat Naruto to a pulp. But for outside observers it can be a hair-raising experience. You can't expect all people to be impressed. Positively, I mean."

"Actually," Sakura admitted, "I was like that even as a child, but back then I was always able to control my actions. I never lost my temper (2). But after training with Tsunade-shishou, everything changed. I'm afraid she has rubbed off on me her wrath." Her voice was laced with a good amount of distress and frustration.

Kakashi put an arm around her, resting his hand on her shoulder and giving a little squeeze. Even if his arm wasn't touching her back, she felt a tingle run down her spine due to the simple contact of his hand on her shoulder. It wasn't the first time he touched her shoulders in this reassuring manner, but this was the first time she felt such a reaction. It was at this moment that Sakura knew she was in some deep trouble.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan. They're just silly boys. Your quick temper won't scare a man. That's another reason to give them some time to grow up."

Sakura looked at Kakashi expectantly. "Does this mean you're not scared by me?"

"Sure. I already told you I find it rather amusing. Being the object of your wrath would be a little different, but I'm sure it would be funny anyway to rile you up and have some fight every now and then. Thinking of it, I would never get bored with you, and that's a good thing. Longtime relationships can easily turn boring, which is why many people separate. You will probably never experience this problem." Again, the eye crinkle smile she was so fond of graced his features.

Though Sakura knew he didn't say it with those intentions, his words made her think that maybe, just maybe… Her eyes were wide, and Kakashi could see a lot of emotions passing through them. It took some moment to her to speak again. When she did it, her voice was uncertain.

"So… maybe… Sensei, will you take me out on a date?" Her face was red and she didn't have the courage to look at him.

It was Kakashi's turn to be speechless. Did she just ask him out? Was that even possible?

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yes, like your date of tonight. Oh, Sensei, I want to feel cherished just like that girl!"

"But, it was fake, Sakura-chan. Even if I agreed to go on a date with you, I would never seduce you. You are still young, and were once my student. If anything, it would be more like a friendly hang out, nothing like what happened tonight."

"But you could pretend like you did tonight. I'm not asking that you love me or to kiss me. Just a date."

"Sakura-chan, the girl from tonight meant nothing to me. That's why I was able to pretend with her. I could _never_ do that with you. You are my friend, Sakura-chan. Also, with you knowing it's all fake would make it pointless."

Sakura lowered her gaze. He was right, and she was making a fool of herself.

The hold on her shoulder tightened as Kakashi pulled her towards him so that their sides were flushed. Then, he placed a little kiss on the top of her head. It wasn't like him being so intimate with someone. The gesture of the act surprised him as much as it did Sakura. But the sweetness of this young girl was tugged at his heartstrings. He was certain that he would always have a soft spot for her from now on. He sighed at the unwelcomed prospect (3).

"It's fine, Sakura-chan, you don't have to be embarrassed. I understand what you are feeling right now, but you don't have to be eager. Just give your friends some time. I'm sure you will find someone who you will fall in love with and is worthy of you, and he will be a perfect gentleman who treats you chivalrously. With no fakes. Just wait and see."

She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. It was so good and made her feel safe. She lightly rested her head on his arm. "How can you be so sure about that?"

"Because you are a really nice girl with many qualities. It's only a matter of time before someone falls for you."

Sakura sighed in a disappointed way. "But not you."

"I'm not worth it Sakura-chan. I'm old and I read smut novels, remember?" She scoffed at his words while he chuckled. "And I've never fallen for anyone, so I guess I don't count." He gave an almost bitter sigh. "I'm hopeless when coming to love."

"I still want a date with you, and I don't want to wait years for my friends to mature. What if no one falls for me? Or if someone falls for me but doesn't act like you did on a date?"

Kakashi thought for a moment.

"Listen, I have a proposal to make… If you turn twenty-four, and still had not the date like the one you're dreaming of – then I will take you out on a date. Only if you still want it, of course. I'll be thirty-eight by then."

This was as much as he could give her. He did not want to take her on a date now. She was still young, and inexperienced, and would still fall for anything that happened. Just the way she reacted by seeing him with another woman had him worried. Kakashi did not want to hurt her. Moreover, he was sure she would find a boyfriend within a few years. Before long, this night and his whole proposal would be forgotten. He was certain that there would be no need for a date when the time arrived.

"You mean it?" She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, Sakura-chan. I promise."

"Eight years… that's a long time."

"I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for before then."

Kakashi always kept his promises. Sakura trusted him that much. A warm smile found its way to her lips, and she gave him a brief hug.

"Thank you, sensei."

For a moment, Kakashi's eye widened at this unexpected gesture, but then he smiled, pleased with himself for being able to cheer her up.

"Now, Sakura-chan, it's time to go to sleep. Good night."

He released his grip on her and stood up, then shifted the sheets for her to slide under. Once she was settle in, he made his way to the door.

"Good night, sensei." A pause. Then, before he could open the door: "Kakashi-sensei!"

He stopped and turned to her.

"Mm?"

"Would you give me at least a goodnight kiss?" She smiled sheepishly, but held her gaze on him.

'Ah, so much for my poor old heart, tonight,' he thought to himself.

He went back to her, lowering his mask to his neck in the process. She closed her eyes in anticipation, hoping for a peck on the lips. She felt disappointment when his lips only touched her forehead lightly, but then, his hand gently caressed her hair. She smiled. It was a very sweet way to bid goodnight.

Then he parted and left the room.

**

* * *

**

A/N: What is going to happen in the next chapter? Stay tuned until next time!

(1) I really don't know why in most fanfictions Genma is drawn as a womanizer. I've read all the manga, and his character is barely mentioned. But I've grown fond of this portrayal of him that I've adopted it myself. After all, the original manga never says the contrary!

(2) In the first part of Naruto, Sakura has a second personality, known as "inner Sakura". While Sakura always acts so shiny, expect toward Naruto, her mind is always more determined and extroverted. In the Shippuuden, inner Sakura is disappeared, and the outer Sakura is not so shy anymore. Probably she's just matured and she's not any longer afraid of showing her real feelings, but this way she really resemble her shishou, doesn't she? I like it when she charge Tsunade of it!

(3) Not that he has something against Sakura, but of course Kakashi's not very pleased with having a soft spot for someone. It just doesn't go well with his aloofness, now, does it?

Many thanks to Clearheart as always for her hard work… editing my writing is not that easy, eh! ;)


	4. Eight years later

* * *

**A LESSON IN** **SEDUCTION**

**Chapter 4: Eight years later**

* * *

Almost eight years later…

Sakura couldn't keep down the emotions that were bubbling up within as her Twenty-fourth birthday drew near. She had never forgotten Kakashi's promise almost eight years before.

After that mission, they both became a little closer than they used to be, but their relationship always stayed that of friends and teammates. He was just a little more caring towards her than her other comrades and sometimes they spent some time together after their sparring sessions. Though it could be seen as nothing special, Kakashi's closer friends knew better. Sakura was the only person Kakashi had ever allowed so close to him. For a reserved man such as the Copy-nin, it was exceptional to show just how deeply he cared for the young woman.

Sakura, on her side, had developed a huge crush on the silver-haired jounin soon after that night. She always enjoyed the time they spent together after their sparring matches. Sakura knew she was privileged for the time she spent with Kakashi, but also knew she had no chance with the man. This was the best she could get from him: an exclusive friendship, but with no romantic involvements.

That is why, during the years, she dated other boys in an attempt to make her crush fade away. As Kakashi said that night, in a few years the guys asking her out increased in number. She tried a few dates with the more interesting ones, but as she expected, none of them were nearly as chivalrous as Kakashi had been in his date with that lucky girl.

Sakura had even two boyfriends, but they both didn't last long. Though she really liked them, she had never been able to give them all her heart, since Kakashi was ever present in it. This is why, in the end, she had to give up on them.

That was when, at the age of twenty-two, the pink-haired medic realized that Kakashi was not just a crush. She was in love with him!

How could she have fallen for the Copy Nin without even noticing herself? Using her over-analyzing mind, she thought back to what happened over the years. In the past six years, she had come to know Kakashi better from all their time spent together. Kakashi was not that talkative, but he opened up to her little by little. Sakura could tell she was one of the only people who knew all of Kakashi's qualities and flaws. She also knew about Kakashi's past and she admired him for the man he had become after those tragic events. But there was more. Sakura was at ease with him at every moment. She could tease him and laugh at him and be with him, while other people would be sent away with a single glare by the silver-haired jounin. He never got angry at her for her jokes, and just laughed them away. She wanted to stay like that with him forever. Well, maybe with some romantic implications – but that would be the icing on the cake.

Once Sakura sorted out her thoughts, she finally knew. 'Oh, God,' she desperately thought, 'I'm in love!'

And now, finally, she was about to turn twenty-four. In one week, Kakashi would be forced to keep his promise and take her out on a date. At least, that was what she hoped for, since Kakashi never spoke about their promise during all those eight years. 'I wonder if he has forgotten…' she would sometimes muse. 'Naa, he would never forget something like this... Hopefully.'

Sakura did not plan on having a party for her birthday. Just a little hang-out at the pub with her closest friends. And then she would have remind Kakashi of his promise, and she would tell him that she still wanted a date with him. Yes, he was thirty-eight now, but to Sakura he was still the same as ever, both in his body and his mind. Not to mention the fact that she was deeply in love with him.

* * *

"Kakashi?" She dropped the honorific some years ago, when she became his equal and close friend.

"Mm?"

They were pleasantly resting in the shadow of a large tree, after a rather tiring sparring session. This was their favorite way to spend their time together. They were both laid out on the ground, Kakashi reading his book, and Sakura watching the clouds in a very Shikamaru-like fashion. It was a habit they picked up during the years, and they had grown accustomed to it. Sometimes they would chat a little, but most of the time, they would just rest and enjoy each other's presence.

"When are you planning to take me out on a date?"

The Copy Nin choked on his own breath. "What?!"

Sakura bolted up in alarm, staring him straight in the eye. "Did you really forget?"

He lowered his book and gazed at her quietly. "No… In fact, not at all. But I thought _you_ might have forgotten. You were so young when I made that promise… and I know there have been other boys over the years."

A mischievous smile spread on her lips. "Have you ever wondered why I left them?"

Kakashi's visible eye widened in realization.

"Just kidding…" Sakura chuckled, clearly amused by her not-so-false joke. "Still, I want that date," she added quietly.

"After all these years… are you really still waiting for me?"

Sakura broke her stare away from him. Maybe he was thinking that she was a fool… then his hand went to her shoulder. As eight years before.

"I'm not laughing at you, Sakura," he said in his warmest voice. "I'm just surprised. And flattered, to say the least." His eye crinkle smile confirmed her that he was telling the truth.

"So, will you keep your promise?" The hope was evident in her voice.

He eyed her carefully. "I'll take you on a date. I'll be chivalrous and I'll make you feel desired, as promised. But you have to understand it will be only that. Just one date."

Sakura bit her lower lip. She didn't want it to be just one date. In the past, she tried with all her might to get rid of the crush she had on him, but with the years it only became worse. It became… love. She knew he couldn't possibly love her back, so she just wanted to feel as if he loved her for just one night. After that, she would never bother him again.

"I know Kakashi, don't worry." She gave him her best smile, trying to hide the worry she felt. But Kakashi knew better, and he took her hand in his.

"Sakura… I don't want you to get hurt. And most of all, I don't want to be the cause of it." His tone was full of concern and worry.

She looked at him, this time with a sincere smile. "I know, Kakashi. Really. And I'll be okay, you don't have to worry." It was true. After all, she already was in love with him, it wasn't as if the situation could get worse. She had waited eight years for this moment, and she wasn't about to miss it. She was just afraid that during the date she would break and tell him how she felt. It would ruin their friendship. No matter what happened, it would be best if she didn't reveal her true feelings.

He seemed more reassured now. "Good. I'll pick you up on Saturday morning at eight. We'll travel light."

Sakura was a little startled. She wasn't expecting to leave Konoha.

As if reading her thoughts, he spoke again. "I don't want to take you out on a date around here. People already think we're too close, seeing us on a date would spark rumors. I don't want to ruin your reputation. Besides, I promise you won't regret it, trust me." Again, his eye crinkle smile reassured her. As always.

Sakura was still puzzled, but smiled back. As long as Kakashi was taking her on a date, nothing else mattered. Besides, he told her to trust him and she definitely would. She got up to go home and take a shower.

"All right, Kakashi. And don't forget tomorrow at the pub. For my birthday."

"Sure, Sakura." He was waving at her when something else came to his mind.

"And remember to pack a dress. Something elegant!" he yelled at her.

'Just what am I getting myself into?' she wondered, as she headed home.

* * *

In truth, Kakashi had always had a soft spot for his pink-haired teammate since the night of the mission eight years before. And the fact that during the years she had matured and grown into a beautiful woman was no help either. She was the only person he felt completely at ease with, and eventually it came to a point he could no longer lie to himself: he was in love with her.

Above all, Kakashi knew Sakura had feelings for him. But he also knew that she was way too young, and deserved much more than a jaded man like himself. When he saw her with one boyfriend, and then another, his heart nearly shattered. He couldn't deny the fact that he felt relieved when she left them. But he also couldn't be selfish, and confess his feeling for her, either. So, he stayed behind, like a good friend and nothing more.

Now Sakura wanted a date with him. He tried to make her change her mind, but failed. So, a date it would be. He almost half-expected that she would try asking more from him, and he prepared himself to resist her. He would tell her all the reasons why they couldn't be together, and if it wasn't enough… well, if Sakura still asked, he would accept. After all she was a woman, now, and she was able to make decisions. If she was so determined to try, he wouldn't reject her. For she was the only woman he had ever loved, and perhaps, it was time for him to find some happiness, too.

* * *

Sakura was startled when Kakashi showed up exactly on time that morning. He chuckled at her shocked expression.

"Shall we go, Sakura?"

"You still haven't told me where we are going…" she prodded for an answer, but knew he wouldn't give up the secret so easily.

"You'll find out soon enough, don't worry."

And they left Konoha.

* * *

It was the same hotel they stayed at eight years before. Kakashi explained to her that ever since that night, the daimyo threw a huge party every year to celebrate his daughter's rescue. When Kakashi told him that he would be attending with the kunoichi who helped him that night, the daimyo said that he was honored to have them in his house on such an auspicious occasion.

Sakura was waiting for Kakashi to knock on her door in a few moments, and was so excited for the date, she was certain she couldn't wait for another minute to go by. She checked herself again and again in the mirror and was pleased by her appearance. She just hoped Kakashi would be the same, too.

When the knock came, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

'Easy, Sakura, you need to relax. This is going to be a wonderful evening, not a school exam,' she told herself. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Kakashi was the same as eight years ago, only this time he had managed to fix his bow-tie by himself.

"I guess you learned how to deal with it," she said playfully, pointing at the bow-tie.

Kakashi smiled in a way so charming, that she almost felt her legs to give out beneath her. "Well, I couldn't bother you with something like that," he said using his smooth voice. "You'll be my lady tonight, so you don't have to do anything but enjoy our date."

He then gently took her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing it slightly. He couldn't help but noticing how stunning she looked tonight. Not that usually she wasn't beautiful, but tonight she seemed simply radiant. And she was going on a date with him. Too bad that anything that could begin would also end this same night. He forced himself from his reverie.

"Shall we go?"

"Sure, Kakashi." She was blushing slightly from his little gesture and sensuous tone of voice. She couldn't predict how red she would be by the end of the date.

* * *

The date was wonderful. It even surpassed the memory of the one Sakura witnessed eight years before. Kakashi flirted with her, making her feel desired, but not in a vulgar way. He had in fact been very chivalrous, just as she dreamt during all those years. She was so happy.

But now the party was about to finish, and many people had left. This was the worst part, indeed, for she knew her beautiful dream was about to vanish. It would have been the most beautiful memory of her life, and she knew she had to be thankful for this opportunity. But still, her heart ached.

They were in front of the door to her room, now. An awkward silence cast on them, and she tried to ease the situation.

"You're not going to put me to sleep with your sharingan, are you?" She asked playfully.

He chuckled at that. "Maybe I should. Do you want me to?"

"Oh, no, thanks! I think I'll pass."

A brief giggle, then another heavy silence.

It was time to bid goodbye, Kakashi knew it too, but he couldn't bring himself to put an end to their wonderful date.

"So, are you going to kiss me goodnight like last time?" She asked hopefully, not daring to raise her eyes to meet his.

"Sure, Sakura." He leaned in and gently kissed her forehead, while stroking her hair with his hand. She closed her eyes.

"Goodnight." It was almost a whisper, but she heard his words all too well. They were the ones she dreaded the most, because they signaled the end of the date. Though her mind was resigned to the situation, her heart was crying out loud to stop him, and for her to tell him how she felt. She clenched her fists and entered her door, quickly closing it behind, not trusting her own voice to bid him goodnight. She leaned against the door, and slid down until she was sitting on the floor. A lone tear made its way down her flushed cheek.

'Kakashi…' she thought weakly.

* * *

Kakashi stared wordless at her door for another good minute. Then, regaining his ability to walk, he went to his room, closing the door, and then pressing his back against it.

His mind was numb. He could think of only one thing: she did not stop him from leaving. She did not stop him. She did not stop him… He felt like a broken record player. Then he forced himself from his mantra. He should have felt relieved. It was best for the two of them. Tomorrow they would go back to Konoha, and act as if nothing had happened.

But he wasn't relieved. He wasn't happy. He was damn angry! With himself!

'I'm a coward! I couldn't bring myself to tell her I love her. I hid behind the false pretense that it would all be better this way. Which it would be in her case, but it is not for me. I kept telling myself that I didn't want her to stop me – as to tell me she wants me. But it was all a lie. I wanted to hear those words from her. I wanted to be with her. I'm damn selfish and I admit it. But it's too late. She didn't stop me because she doesn't love me. I'm just a crush to her and nothing more. And it's better for her, really. But damn, it hurts so much.' He stopped in his thoughts when he felt his head hurting. He was unconsciously banging his head against the door. What a sad excuse of a man he was.

There was a knock.

Blink.

Another knock.

"Kakashi?" Sakura's muffled voice came through the door.

Blink.

Kakashi's mind switched into panic mode. Why was she here? What was he to do? Confess to her?

"Kakashi, please…"

He quickly regained his wits and opened the door, just enough so he could see her puffy red eyes. She swiftly entered the room, closing the door behind her, and sheepishly looked down. Her hands still over the doorknob behind her. The moment she looked up at him, her expression changed immediately.

"What did you do?!"

His hand flew to hide the dark bruise on his forehead. "Oh, that's nothing, Sakura, really…", but her hands were already glowing with her chakra and she took care of his injury.

Kakashi took her hand in his one before she could pull back and slowly let it rest by her side. He lingered more than necessary before letting go.

Sakura's eyes were cast to the floor. "I need to tell you something…" her voice trembled and he had to resist the urge to take her in his arms and tell her how he felt.

He needed to hear what she had to tell him, before making any move. After his moment of weakness earlier, her presence reassured him in some way he couldn't explain, and he was back to his normal self. Well, almost normal self. Anyway, he decided to follow his original plan. She was too precious to him to ruin her life for his selfishness. That meant that he had to be sure of her feelings and then warn her against himself before confessing to her. If that wasn't the case… well, he would not confess. And he would surely die in that very room due to blood loss from banging repeatedly his head against the door. But then again, she was so much important than him, what would it matter if he died here tonight as long as she went free.

"Yes?"

"Did you… did you have to pretend so much tonight? I - I mean… the things you said, the way you acted. It was all fake, right? Just like the night with that girl?" The hurt in her voice nearly made him tremble.

There was an intensity in his gaze. "Of course not. I didn't know that girl, but I know you, and I care for you." This was slightly evasive, but seeing her like this made him incapable of lying. So, he said the truth, just not all of it.

She inched closer to him and set her eyes on his one. "So…do really like me, then?"

This was getting too dangerous. He could feel his will-power crumbling away.

"Sure, just not in that way. You are my friend. My closest friend. I'm sure you understand why this has to end here." His own words were killing him. "I won't be able to bear losing you." Well, that at least was true.

"Neither can I. But I can't lie anymore. I can't pretend you're just a close friend, Kakashi. Because I love you." She nearly whispered the last part.

'Keep focused, Kakashi,' he reminded himself to not melt under her confession.

"Sakura, this is not love. I know you had a crush on me all these last years, but you're a woman, now, you should recognize love from a crush." Okay, this was a low blow and he felt like an utter bastard, but he had to be sure…

A tear slid down her cheek. Sakura was beginning to feel exasperated.

"I _am_ able to recognize love from crushes, Kakashi! I realized everything was more than a crush two years ago. That's two years that I've already been in love with you! I thought I would be able to part after a date with you, and force myself to forget you. Because I know you can't possibly love me back. But while I was in my room just now, the ache became so unbearable that I can no longer hold back. I can't let this chance go without you to know how I really feel. Even if you don't return my feelings, you deserve to know." More tears fell from her eyes, and her vision became blurred.

Kakashi's self control snapped and he reached forward. He held her tightly and placed a kiss on the top of the head.

"Sakura…" His voice cracked from emotion. "I didn't know… I would never imagined… dreamt of that…" He forced himself to stop and gain control before going on.

"But, why me, Sakura? Why would you possibly want to waste your life on an old man like me? You deserve so much more…"

"During the times together, I learned a lot about you. All of your qualities. All of your flaws". She was still sobbing, but managed to speak. The things she was saying were too important to leave unsaid. He had to know.

"I'm not blind, Kakashi, I'm not dreaming of an ideal man. I just know it's you I love and it's you I want to be with. You know I've tried to date other guys, I really tried. But I can't get you out of my mind… and my heart…"

Okay, that was convincing enough for him. He would no longer hold back, either.

"God, Sakura, I love you too. I have for years." He tightened his grip on her and she began to cry freely now. But this time from happiness.

Then his lips were on hers, and they were moving to his bed without breaking the embrace nor the kiss. They softly landed on the bed and spent all the night together between more confessions, and laughs, and cuddles and love making. They were a couple now, and they would have come back to Konoha together in the daylight. Screw the rumors. They didn't want to hide themselves as if they were in sin. For it wasn't sin, it was simply love.

The end.

* * *

**A/N:** I like it when Kakashi breaks down. He's a great shinobi, and he always puts his teammate's life before his own. He always does the right thing. But he's a man, too. I cannot believe that he never has inner doubts and turmoils before choosing to put himself apart and protecting others. If it were so easy to him to be an altruist, then it would almost be pointless. The sacrifice he makes to act for Sakura's goodness instead of his own, just shows the great man he is.

And, ok, I know the end is too fluffy!!! But I liked it this way, so… I just hope you liked the story anyway.

Happy Fluffy Christmas to you all, especially to Clearheart who made a wonderful job by betaing the story for me!

**P.S.:** I'll arrange a date with Kakashi to all who reviews… ok, I was kidding… if I could do something like that, I would definitely be his one and only date! ;)

Anyway, reviews are really appreciated!


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